Pages

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

I took a trip to Washington state with my husband so he could start the process of being hired with a company in Tacoma, and we decided to make it a family trip as well.

On the way back we decided to stop at a couple of places as I've never been to the West Coast before. So we stopped at Multnomah Falls in Oregon, and drove through the Redwood National Forest in upper Cali on the way home.

Let me tell you. If you are questing for that childhood magic, go back to nature! If you are close enough to these huge wonders visit them as you will get that tiny kid feeling no matter how old you are, but not just that. There is a magic in the forest, and in nature that just cannot be described.

I stood at the base of the falls in wonder at how tall the waterfall was. Feeling the spray on my face and hearing the water crash against the mountain wall was literally so beautiful and majestic that I just wanted to cry at how happy I was.

We looked at the sign next to the falls, 1 mile to the top. I can do that I thought, I walked that about a week ago with the kids at Walmart (literally, I tracked it on my phone with my Charity Miles app which is wonderful, I encourage everyone to put this on their phone and use it.) You can keep track of how far you walk, run, or bike, and for every mile walked, ran, or biked Charity Miles will donate money to the charity of your choice, such as Feed America, Wounded Warriors, etc.

Back to the story though, about halfway up the mountain, I didn't think I could make it. My bum leg was giving me fits, and my knees felt like they had turned to powder about four bends back, but I had this amazing energy that kept pushing me, and I had to make it to the top. And it was so worth it at the top. We breaked, soaked up the beauty of the Columbia River pre falls, and basked in one another's company. We even managed to find two 4-leafed clovers among the shamrocks.

Though my legs felt like jello on the way back down the mountain, I felt so proud of myself that I hadn't let my injuries get the best of me, and I could feel that little spark inside my chest again, the one that I felt when I was a kid and had brought my mom flowers that I had picked in the forest. The one when you look up with your innocent eyes and her smile is just beaming back down at you.

But that wasn't the only child like wonder this day felt. Towards the end of the day I knew we were approaching the Redwoods, but the trees were still fairly small, so I kept picking at my husband about the trees don't look like they are getting any bigger to me!

Boy was I wrong. Darkness set in, but the trees were getting huge, and he (the Hubs) said they would be even bigger in the morning. I watched with my nose and hands pressed against the side window as tree trunks the size of my car whizzed by. OH! I could hardly contain myself. I was bouncing in my seat, and grinning from ear to ear.

Yet, as awestruck as I was already at the size of the tree's we drove through at dark, I was even more astounded by the ones we stopped to hug, and wander beneath the next day. These trees were huge, and over 3,200 years old. I felt as if I had fallen into Wonderland and had taken a sip of that liquid shrinking elixir.

And I discovered again that that is where the magic lies, right there in that inability to contain excitement. The innocent pleasure in something magnificent that dazzles us. It could be the old gentleman sitting in the photo department who does a slight of hand magic trick with a plastic coin, or having tea time with George the Clown (my crocheted stuffed clown from childhood) in the garden, or standing beneath a tree that you cannot wrap your arms around, but it's there. We have to allow ourselves this pleasure, this simplicity without the addition that comes so many times when we are adults. We have to stop the negativity of ourselves the inner hate that say's "well, it was just a slight of hand trick that con-artists use, or it's just a stuffed toy, this is stupid."

We must enjoy the moment, and accept the innocence and simplicity of the moment in order to feel the magic. So take the time to meditate if you will, find a quiet spot, and tune yourself into yourself and find that inner child, and let the magic flow.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

What better way to re-awaken that childhood magic than to remember the things we did as a child. When I was a kid, my parents tell me that I used to run around the yard with a large stick yelling "I am She-Ra, Princess of Power!" Which my dad would promptly follow up with, "It's going to be Power of Stick if you don't quit running around with that." Of course I didn't, and some how managed to not puncture anything and I still have both my eyes.

This of course got me to thinking of some of the best memories that I had as a child, and some of the best ones I've made with my children with the simplest of items such as boxes and sticks. Which brings us to a couple of my favorite books by Antoinette Portis, Not A Box, and Not A Stick.

First a little on the author: Antoinette Portis attended the UCLA of fine arts and is a former creative director at Disney Consumer Products. This is the only information I have found on Ms. Portis but if you would like to visit her site click on her photo above.

Not A Box is exactly what it sounds like. It's a very simple book which tells us the many things a Box can be used for such as a race car, or a mountain. Just a little bit of imagination and a box can become anything.

The illustrations are very simple which enhances the message of using your imagination. It is also a quick story for those really busy days when you want to read your child a story, and don't think you have time to. It is also a book that can spark creativity and a project for you and your child.

For one of my daughters birthdays, we actually took large boxes and created Star War's Pod-Racers from the boxes, and then all of the kids took turns racing them.

The next book I was so excited to find because I had loved the first book, and of course with my own memories of play with my stick sword.

Similarly to the first, it is a very simple book that details what a stick can become with a little bit of imagination. Such as a sword or a fishing pole. It also has the same simple styling's, and again is a really quick read, and your children will remember that you took the time to read to them, no matter how long or short the story was.

Now I haven't given to much of the stories away because they are really short and quick, but sometimes it is the simplest things that stick with the heart the longest.

So I encourage you to pick up one of the above books, and allow it to lead your imagination to your own creations, and remember to keep that childhood magic alive until next we meet.

Friday, April 19, 2013

This is a new installment of the fictional bucket list that I started. My daughter made me a paper tardis at school included in her 3d tardis was a paper sonic screwdriver and Dalek. I feel like I should post a twitter feed about you know your a Whovian when...

But back to the inspiration. Her gift made me think, what if I could go back in time, what are some of the things that I would want to do? Two things came to mind. I would love to study with Da'Vinci and talk with Orson Welles. Love that man's voice. He is truly missed at least by me...

So I give you my time traveling:

But of course there are also more books that I would love to jump into such as those written by R.A. Salvatore and the tales of Drizzt.

And who wouldn't love to jump in the novels of Sherlock and banter with him and Moriarty. Okay, so I'd have to have Sherlock check my tea for poison first, but I think it would be worth it for the conversation.

Now I have a favor to ask as well, and if anyone knows the actual name of the artist that painted this image of Sherlock Holmes, I would love to give them credit and link their site to mine. Thank you.

If you have any fictional bucket list items that you would like to see put up, I would love to hear from you. Again, please feel free to use these on your FBL as well, just link back to me, and remember to keep that childhood magic alive.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

So this is a shorter post than usual. I spent most of December, and part of January creating a family book, and just had to share it with all of you.

One of my greatest inspirations for being able to keep the childlike wonder and magic alive is my own children and the adventures we have together, the games we play, and just general bonding and quality time with one another.

So this is our 2012 year in review, I hope you will be inspired to keep the childlike magic alive in your own home and be inspired by some of the projects we've worked on together.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

So a while back I began creating a Bucket list of all the places in the world I would love to visit before I die. Things I would love to see in person or do. Of course I placed this on my Pinterest page, because where else would I put it? ;D Then I created an additional list of Bucket List Kickers so I could move the things over that I want to accomplish once they were accomplished.

Pretty plain and simple, and a great way to keep a log. But then it occurred to me. I spend so much time in my fantasy worlds, what if I could do anything I wanted to, but in all actuality could never accomplish. What if I had the power to jump inside of books, and movies?

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

So with school and the holiday schedule I have fallen a bit behind in posting. I apologize, one day I will be consistent with this, I promise...just probably not any time soon as an overwhelming load of college will be crashing down on me next week again. :(

But not to be discouraged, as I will be trying desperately to keep you updated on how to keep yourself young with that childlike happiness, and magic.

So to start out April, why don't you do something you haven't done in a while, or at the very least, try something new. Which is what the family and I did a few days ago. We made some wonderful homemade squishy Slime.

Isn't it absolutely fabulous? The girls had great fun with how slimy it was, and the fact that if they squished a lid down over it the most wonderful "fart" noises came out. I've pinned instructions for it up under my Pinterest board Successful Kiddo Projects.

Now while playing with this stuff I had an epiphany that goes with the items that I will be placing in my Etsy shop (hopefully before Christmas). What would be better than wonderful Unicorn sneezes and Goblin Bogies? And of course their is the re-moistening agent of Troll Drool! Delightful if I do say so myself. Okay, perhaps I am a bit odd you are thinking to yourself, but this is what I am talking about this is the kid in me. The things that as a child I would have loved playing pretend with. (Okay well perhaps I wouldn't have pretended to play with Goblin Bogies, but I bet there is a little boy out their somewhere chasing little girls with something gooey on the end of a stick yelling "run princess or the goblin will snot on you!")

But as I was saying. These will be up in my shop as soon as I do field testing on them to see how long they are good for. I mean we wouldn't want moldy Unicorn sneezes now would we?

I have quite a few ideas that I will be working on as I take another leave of absence from you my wonderful followers. But I will give you a bit of a sneak at what will be coming up:

Dragon, Griffon, and Wyvern Eggs, fairy food and semi-live stories on YouTube! Keep your eyes peeled for the next few months, because I plan to be super busy, and I hope you will be involved with my escapades. So until next time...